Las Olas Marina, the largest marina owned by the city of Fort Lauderdale, could get more megayacht slips. That is, if current beach-redevelopment plans are modified to make residents and visitors alike happy.
The Sun Sentinel newspaper reports that the city has set aside $63 million to improve beach areas. This includes adding promenades, parks, and especially parking. Fort Lauderdale city commissioners plan to excavate a parking lot at Las Olas Marina, making much of it a waterside park and walkway, with a parking garage. However, marine-industry representatives instead propose creating 91 more yacht slips, 14 of which would be for megayachts. This would increase Las Olas Marina’s total yacht capacity dramatically, from 60.
“We have to build for the future and ensure Fort Lauderdale continues to be the first choice in the global yachting market,” Frank Herhold, executive director emeritus for the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, is quoted as saying. “It all starts with slips, so we need adequate dockage not only for the local boating community, but those who visit us.”
Fort Lauderdale city commissioners will have consultants investigate the possibilities. “We are the marine capital of the world, and we should be thinking that way,” Romney Rogers, a commissioner, says. There is some concern, however, over whether additional funds would be needed. The project could cost $16 million, according to estimates presented to Fort Lauderdale’s marine-advisory board. However, the same estimates state that an expanded Las Olas Marina could reap $3 million in extra annual rental revenue.
Regardless, a developer on the city’s beach-improvement board thinks yacht and megayacht slips can be added without much difficulty “I’m confident there are ways to satisfy everyone’s concerns,” Bradley Deckelbaum is quoted as saying. “The plans are in the early stages, so this is the perfect time to incorporate other ideas and decide what works best.”
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